I'm really impressed by the tea party

[salinen]

seriously I am. Not because of what they stand for, they're clinically insane, but what they managed to do so quickly. I actually feel that they have achieved what we only dream of as progressives. Where o' where is our power? And who represents us? We don't see huge blocks of progressive congresspeople being voted in. No, we get to witness Greyson and Feingold being pushed out.

There better be lessons we take away from watching the tea party gain power. If we don't, we will end up in a museum next to the Brontosaurus.

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. I completely agree. I've been saying this for awhile now.

I disagree with every thing the tea party believes in and find most of them borderline insane. But I do admire their organization skills.

BUT I do think we need to acknowledge the help they receive from AFP and the Kochs.

[QED]

2. And from Fox News

who covers their rallies as if they are attended by millions.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. Yes Fox too.

Thanks for the reminder.

[Liberal Veteran]

11. Yeppers. Big money backers. Media providing confirmation bias.

And there isn't really a shortage of crazy and lack of critical thinking skills among the populace to create a "movement" out of nothing.

[annabanana]

28. Check and Check! Bucks and CorpoMedia © framing . .

Where do we get some 'o that stuff?

[movonne]

3. The tea party would be in the trash if it didn't have the kochroaches

at the helm...you can buy anything even elections...watch WI..nobody could have worked any harder and put out a message as they did..

[yourout]

8. +1.....money can make a load a bad things happen in a hurry.

[Jackpine Radical]

23. There is no genius in the Tea Party.

They are brainwashed puppets whom the Masters command to dance in front of their cameras in order to give the illusion of popular support for the Fascist agenda.

[DJ13]

4. Their power comes from the wealthy that set up the tea parties

Sadly the wealthy who support liberalism think buying a $30,000 a plate dinner at an Obama fundraiser is all they need to do to offset the wealthy lunatics on the other side.

[zeemike]

5. The tea party is just the sock puppet so you won't notice

The man behind the curtain.
It was a well oiled machine that created the tea party and the money is what sped thing up....and that is the key to success today.

[Liberal Veteran]

6. When one has corporate backing for one's astroturf movement...

...it is amazing what kind of things can get done.

I'm not impressed at all. I'm disgusted that people are stupid enough to sell their souls to greed.

[alsame]

7. The right wing has been planning for over 30

years. They bought up most of the media, they created their think tanks, they have their own universities, etc and made sure to recuit young conservative people and got them into many down ticket positions so they could rise through the ranks. They manufactured people like Palin and when they needed her, they plucked her out of obscurity and got her in the VP candidate slot.

It only seems like the TP happened overnight, but the planning has been going on for a long, long time. It's really the same old fascist agenda, just with new branding as the Tea Party. And they have the money, the organizations and the media behind them.

[Mojeoux]

14. I remember a time when, if a group was exposed as an Astro-turf tool of

the founders of the "John Birch Society," it would be embarrassing.

[alsame]

16. Me too. nt

[fredamae]

15. Yes, I agree..

They have been out there amongst us...a long time. I have known a couple of people over the years that did not seem too well connected and held a "death-like grip" on their beliefs and were Very suspicious of argument.
When you counter with reason they just yell over the top of you. A very strange practice, to me.

[salinen]

22. I hope you're around for awhile

you make sense. I've noticed the "death grip paranoid mis-firing" types too.

[themadstork]

29. Yes, they've been building their own insular little world.

And tearing it apart is really going to be a bitch.

[treestar]

54. Yep. The left would have given up on 1982.

President Reagan sold us out! There is still a welfare state. He compromised with Democrats! Both parties are beholden to the communists! Waaaah!!!

[fredamae]

57. Reagan "kicked" mentally ill people

into the streets during the 80's...the kochs needed like minded people down the road 30 or so years...many tea party folks are around the proper age of 30 +/- and their parents, aunts, uncles, cousins etc...

Conspiracy Alert!!!!!:bounce:

[fredamae]

58. It is AKA Corporate Welfare

Love,
ronald reagan
actor extraordinaire

[MadHound]

9. Well, it helps that they received millions and millions in outside, corporate backing,

Not to mention that they are the media darlings, and the networks will go out of their way to make a gathering of dozens look like a crowd of thousands, while the anti-war folks, the folks in WI and elsewhere can put on an event that attracts hundreds of thousands and it doesn't even get covered.

It isn't the superior skills of tea party organizing, it is the amount of outside corporate help they are receiving.

[Ramulux]

12. Agreed

I am truly envious of what they have been able to do to this country in terms of controlling the debate. They were able to make it seem like getting 78.5 billion in cuts to mostly social programs was somehow a loss, because they didn't also destroy Planned Parenthood and the EPA. Its fucking insanity.

[Terra Alta]

13. The Tea Party is funded by billionaires

Specifically, the Koch brothers and probably Faux News. Progressives have no such billionaires, because we care about the common man and not about making the wealthy wealthier. What we need to do is to get our apathetic friends and family to vote the Repukes out. Take to the streets and demand to be listened to. We don't need any billionaires to fight the teabaggers, we just need to get busy fighting for the causes we believe in.

[Cleita]

17. They have billionaires funding them and paid

workers telling them how to think and act. There is nothing grass roots about them. They started out that way initially, but the Morlocks saw an opportunity and swept in to turn it into a movement that will get their candidates elected.

[DCBob]

18. No one on our side should be impressed by the Teaparty's "achievements"..

That's like admiring AQ for its "success".

[WillyT]

19. Have You Seen This ???

Link: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x860917

:shrug:

:hi:

:kick: & Rec!!!

[G_j]

20. 2000 ppl protest the Koch brothers offices, NO major media mentions

it, a few hundred tea-baggers, we see it in the nightly news.

[LoZoccolo]

21. People will be offended by what I say here, but I think it's true.

I feel that it's due to the fact that right-wing activists are much more apt to try to prove their initiative and personal responsibility, because it's ingrained in their political philosophy, than the left-wing activists who have been very content to graze on the Internet and point blame for why they are not getting what they want. I'm not saying that they can't have personal responsibility (and what I'm pointing out here hasn't always been the case, as you can see from the 1960s, or the people who risked their livelihoods to form unions), but when I start threads about how you have to get up and participate in democracy, I get more criticism for my assumption that people aren't doing it, than people talking about what they do and how others can help. I would guess by a factor of five, at least.

[MadHound]

24. And you conviently ignore the tens of thousands who have been out in the streets,

In WI, OH, MN and elsewhere, not to mention the millions who have turned out over the years for anti-war protests and such.

Just because you don't get up off your ass and actually do something doesn't mean that thousands of others aren't.

[Bluenorthwest]

32. I think that our more liberal voices are shouted down and

mocked, not supported in any way. Any Democrat who dares sound like a Democrat gets the froth and fury of the more Conservative Democrats, shouting that they are going to table against them and utterly freaking out. Also, the same set of 'moderates' and all like to try to hush the Union Members, the GLBT Community (not now, pony, poutrage) the peace activists. It is a constant. We the members of those communities have been constantly active, while the President wags a finger at us and the 'centrists' try to make us shut up and write ballads for Obama. It is not surprising that you are unaware of the throngs in the streets in Madison, the activists marching at the Koch headquarters, or any of the constant actions working toward equal rights, you are too busy making posts about Kucinich to actually get participate, and of course the equal rights thing is not cool for the OFA kidz. Cooties and all.

[Marr]

45. No, I'm sorry. The difference between right and left wing activism is

that the right-wing is supported by big money interests. It's as simple as that.

Right wing activists get massive, and mostly sympathetic coverage from corporate media outlets, while left wing activists get negative (or more often, no) coverage as a default. Left wing demonstrations have to be about 100x's bigger to warrant coverage, and even then, it's usually negative, with more than equal time going to the wealthy interests that oppose them.

Person for person, Right-wing activists are more effective in our system because the whole system is either owned by, or set up to service wealthy interests.

[treestar]

56. No offense taken here. And the posts going on about what PO

has to do for us! It's pathetic. He hasn't done enough for meeeeeeeeeeeeee! There have been thousands of posts to this effect. In essence this hands the right wing proof they were right all along and that we expect the government, even the POTUS, to do everything for us.

[Keith Bee]

25. The Loudest Voices

That's what they are. Sadly, that's the level to which our "political discourse" has descended.

[SoCalDem]

26. They just used media, which was eager to catapult them to the top of the heap

Liberal causes have been trying for DECADES, to do the same, but the messages we try to sell, are not well-accepted by the powers that be, who OWN the media & who get to decide what they show the public.. It;s just that simple..

[Logical]

27. I see your point. n-t

[ProSense]

30. I'm really impressed by corporate America and

billionaires like Rick Scott. Look at all the damage they've done in such a short time. Impressive!

[southernyankeebelle]

31. Well if we on the left had the money the teabaggers have we could do just as well.

[TheKentuckian]

33. Impressed at their corporate backing, Fox as a bullhorn and all other channels trying to keep up,

and experienced insiders pushing the buttons.

This is just the Republican party. The Tea Party is an illusion set up by corporate propagandizers.

[white_wolf]

34. I don't get how we are being out organized by these nutjobs.

Grassroots movements, protests, organization, strikes. and other similar tools, are the tools of the Left wing, not the Right. Whether it be labor movements, anti-war, women's rights, even socialist/communist movements, they have all been based around the tools I mentioned above, but the Left has forgotten how to use those tools.

[salinen]

52. And

tools never used before might be in order.

[EstimatedProphet]

35. Lesson #1: get the backing of multi-billionaires and a major media network

Lesson #2: Only lesson #1 matters.

[quakerboy]

36. When you find a movement of Multibillionares To fund Progressives

Then you will see us take power in drastic and immediate ways. Untill then all we have are some voters. And that don't mean squat, on so many levels.

[Liberal Veteran]

37. What really pisses me off is the blatant media bias.

Natalie Maines makes one fairly tame remark and the Dixie Chicks are suddenly persona non grata and is ripped to shreds on several levels.

Glen Beck gets on TV and calls the president a racist, Marxist, commie, Stalinist, Kenyan cum Indonesian, and hates America and at worst he gets a "Oh, that silly man" and a multimillion dollar deal while losing money for the company he works for.

A thousand teabaggers show up for a rally, with guns, and a copious amount of outright racist signs and it's a movement.

A 100 thousand union workers and teachers descend on Wisconsin to protest and it's a fringe movement.

[quakerboy]

38. Ownership

[Tx4obama]

39. There is not such thing as a TeaParty. It's republican funded creation/strategy to rebrand the GOP

[seabeyond]

40. kock billions, fox propaganda.... teabaggers? i think not. nt

[ecstatic]

41. In general, we're not willing to do the types of things that republicans do

Like outright lying, character assassination based on lies, racism, sexism, homophobia etc. I remember Grayson did one little ad that had a teeny bit of exaggeration and he was ripped apart.

[lunatica]

42. Why would you admire sociopath bullies?

they would gladly throw you to the lions if this were Rome.

[Bobbie Jo]

43. Nothing incites a group to action like hatred and racism.

What's not to admire.

Giving this one the biggest Unrec i can muster.

[The Gunslinger]

44. It's because no matter how evil the cause,

They all stand together and don't settle for compromise. The left keeps making excuses for leaders that cave in the the far right agenda. We certainly needs a similar movement.

[Little Star]

46. I started my own thread to disagree you salinen......

I mean no disrespect to you personally.

The reason I started another thread on this subject was because I was afraid my argument against "any admiration" of the tea party would be lost in your long thread. I wanted the chance to have people see both of our opinions.

Many do not read the whole of the comments made in reply on a thread. I figured I had a better chance of being heard by starting my own thread. Maybe no one will pay my thread any attention and thats ok. I just felt I had to try.

peace, LS

[salinen]

50. That's alright

mostly I make attempts to activate people. Too many jump to the conclusion that we cannot fight against the big money interest. O.K. die then. But there are more ways to skin a cat. We have brain power on our side.

[bluerum]

47. Psychopathic behavior is focused and purposeful. But outside the bounds

"normal morals", expected social values and customs. They just do what they want and screw every one else.

They (psychopaths) make excellent Wall St. investment bankers.

[stevedeshazer]

48. Useful tools.

That's what they are.

[chowder66]

49. Is there some reason they are no longer described as teabaggers?

Is this now a politically correct issue? My understanding, and please correct me if I am wrong is that they originally gave themselves the name of teabaggers but when they finally figured out what that meant they got upset.

I have to say I do not want to legitamize this band of rag-tags and I only want to stay in keeping with their high regard for all things related to birth.
So I prefer to call them by their birthname - teabaggers.

This was a corporate backed joke/opportunity that was perpetuated by media laziness. They bring with them everything from the crazy-spectrum which provides an easy, talentless, one-note news stories because the media can't bother to focus and actually do some work. They need to take a note from McClatchy.

Don't forget that these are actually rabid republicans and I don't care how many different ways they are dressed up they are still and always will be republicans.

I'm so sorry you are impressed by them. Really. It's like being impressed with the "mean girl".

[upi402]

51. They are employees and dupes of rich elites

It's an astr turf organization with corporatist organization and backing. Their media propagandized an promoted them.

We don't have anybody and are getting shit on. It'll be over soon enough.

[treestar]

53. Because they don't sit around saying "who represents us" they get out

themselves.

I don't think I've ever heard a right winger crying: bush has sold us out. What has Bush done for us? He hasn't made my personal situation rosy.

Gotta give them that.

[mmonk]

55. They have a party that manufactures consent.

We have a party that ignores consent.

[adigal]

59. I think it 's personality...liberals tend to be kinder,

and more thoughtful, we tend to not want to do harm to anyone, even their feelings. Conservatives are generally selfish, greedy, loud, obnoxious and self-righteous. I noticed that when arguing with a conservative. I can be an exception, the aggressive Liberal, but these conservatives are so self-righteous, so sure of themselves, I try to make a reasonable argument and they yell lies. A woman in quilting was so angry at what I said (the truth) that she was standing up, screaming at me and pointing in my face. So aggressive!! No room for discussion. When you point out the cognitive dissonance, such as only caring about humans before they are born, they freak out on you!! And then the other quilting ladies blamed me, that I argued with her. Obviously, they are mostly conservatives. Blech.

[salinen]

60. They are also

suspicious of science. But not CEO's. Tells you something.

[Odin2005]

61. They are being funded by the Koch Brothers, that is why they are "successful"